LeBron and the Lakers have been linked for years, and rumors have been swirling for a while now suggesting that James could possibly head to the West to join the purple and gold.

Clarkson, 25, is owed $12.5 million next season, and clearing his contract from the books could help the Lakers in their pursuit of big name players on the free agent market.

Clarkson’s trade value on the rise?

If the Lakers are indeed trying to trade Clarkson as the rumors suggest, his trade value is certainly peaking at the right time.

Against the Indiana Pacers last Friday night, Clarkson scored 33 points and added 7 assists. Then, on Sunday, the guard followed up with another 29 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds. The Lakers won both games.

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Ross Pickering is the founder of Lakerholicz.com. He's here to bring you daily updates on your Los Angeles Lakers, despite living 5,485 miles away from L.A. in England. You can follow him on Twitter: @RossPickering